[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 163 (Friday, August 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 51843]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18313]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2020-0065]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that on August 3, 2020, BNSF 
Railway Company (BNSF) petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration 
(FRA) for a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal 
railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 218, Railroad 
Operating Practices. FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2020-
0065.
    Specifically, BNSF requests relief from certain blue signal 
protection requirements, 49 CFR 218.25, Workers on a Main Track, for 
workers engaged in fueling, performing locomotive daily inspections, 
and other routine operations on head-end locomotives at fuel pads 
situated on main lines. BNSF explains that blue signal protection would 
still be required at the rear end of a train if performing fueling, 
locomotive daily inspections, and work on locomotives in the 
distributed power remote consist.
    BNSF states that adequate safety will be maintained by placing a 
blue signal at the head end of the consist in a location readily 
visible to the locomotive engineer or whomever may be occupying the 
controlling locomotive. Protection at the rear end of the train will be 
supplied by railroad signals, which BNSF states will be sufficient, as 
there will be no railroad employees performing any inspections on the 
rolling equipment beyond the lead locomotive consist to the rear of the 
train.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov.
    Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings 
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate 
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since 
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested parties 
desire an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, they 
should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and 
specify the basis for their request.
    All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the 
appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Website: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Communications received by October 5, 2020 will be considered by 
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date 
will be considered if practicable. Anyone can search the electronic 
form of any written communications and comments received into any of 
our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the document, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its processes. DOT posts 
these comments, without edit, including any personal information the 
commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system 
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice for the privacy notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-18313 Filed 8-20-20; 8:45 am]
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